Intrauterine growth and childhood leukemia and lymphoma risk

Abstract

Leukemias and lymphomas account for nearly half of all childhood cancers. Although there have been major advances in the treatment of these diseases, what causes them remains largely unknown. There is strong evidence to suggest that leukemia originates in utero, and early life factors may play a role in its etiology. A series of reports illustrate a convincing link between the rate of intrauterine growth and the risk of childhood leukemia. Some studies suggest that this risk relationship also extends to non-Hodgkin lymphoma in children, although, overall, the association with childhood lymphoma is less clear. This review discusses the intricacies of these risk relationships and explores potential explanations of how the rate of fetal growth may influence cancer risk.

Keywords::

• birthweight
• childhood leukemia
• childhood lymphoma
• epidemiology
• growth factors
• intrauterine growth
• risk factors

Financial & competing interests disclosure

The authors are supported by CHILDREN with CANCER UK, the Scottish Government and the Department of Health. K O’Neill was supported by a Daphne Jackson Fellowship and funded by GlaxoSmithKline R & D. The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript.

No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.